Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed, that is human.
When you are born, where do you come from? When you die, where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud which disappears. The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going are also like that. But there is one thing which always remains clear.
It is pure and clear, not depending on life and death. Then what is the one pure and clear thing?

The WAY

Search for hidden flames on your own land ... Unworthy of man to borrow the light somewhere else. / Al-Hallaj /

Path with a capital letter - it is always the path to yourself, to your true nature. Since ancient times people have searched for this Path and some are not only located it but also passed it, becoming those whom we call Masters.

We often refer to the Eastern teachings of religions, putting in a word the meaning which is accepted in the West. Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and many others - is the doctrine of the Path to an understanding of yourself. The word "Tao" ("Tao", "Do") means The Way. The Sufis call themselves "People of the Path", and the basic idea of Sufism is that the people have the possibility to directly understand God and the truth, having a certain way. Sufi Sheikh Faridaddin Attar said: "If you set off to look for yourself, yoy will find God. If you went on a journey to seek God, you will find yourself”.

If you look at the external (shape, words, names), then you will not see the substanse. Imagine a circle to the center of which lead a lot of of radii. It seems that the direction of many of them directly opposite each other, but they really go in the same direction - toward the center of the circle. So with the teachings about the Way - it seems that they are different and lead to different goals, but if those doctrines are true, they all lead to an understanding of your true self, your true nature.

The followers of different doctrines and religions in the beginning of the Path can not see its purpose, noting only the outward signs, often hitting into fanaticism. However, those who have already approached the target, can see that with each step to it less and less remaining differences with other "contradictory" teachings. Ways - in the words of Don Juan - millions, but if they lead to an understanding of your true nature, then all of them are one way.

All this, of course is a very schematic illustration, as in fact path is infinite. As the Sufis say: "We are the path and we are the pathfarers”. We are in no way limited than our own "can not", except our own faith (or unbelief) in ourself. Jesus Christ said: "If you had faith as a mustard seed, you would say to the mountain: “move!", And it will move. "

"How many hearts, so many ways." My Path with heart - Zen. The main issue, which solves Zen - "What am I?". We say: "my body, my mind, my conciousness”, but who or what is I?

Once in the U.S. Kennedy Airport, when there was Zen Master Seung Sahn, a reporter conducted a public television interview. He asked different people the same question: "What do you think is the most disgusting in the world?". Who was in charge of "war" who "betrayal", who is ... Seeing a dress of Buddhist monk, a reporter asked this question to him. In response to Zen Master asked: "Who are you?"

"John Smith"

"This is your name, but who are you?"

"I am a television reporter from a company such and such"

"It's your job, but who are you?"

"I am a human, after all!"

"It's your biological species, but who are you?"

Then a reporter finally reached what he was asked. He opened his mouth to speak but could not.

"Here it is the most disgusting thing in the world - not to know who you are," said Zen Master.

Two and a half thousand years ago the Buddha was born. According to legend, he made seven steps, and pointing with one hand in the ground, and the other in the sky, said: "On the earth and in heaven, only I am holy." After five hundred years, Jesus Christ said: "I am Light, I am the Way, I am the Truth." After another 700 years Sufi Sheikh Mansur al-Hallaj said: "Min Al Huqq" (I am the truth). They spoke at different times for different people and in different languages, but about the same "I". This "I" - our true nature. Jesus and the Al-Hallaj was executed for their teachings. Buddha had more luck, he could easily teach and deepen his teaching for many years.

What am I? Few people asked themselves this question, although it is the most important in our lives. From ancient times, people look for meaning in life, but that life may have at least some value, only if we find the answer to the main question - what am I?